Julian Punch MR
Julian Punch on behalf of the Coming Out Proud Program State Steering Committee called on Tasmanian Federal Politicians today to press for national recognition of same sex civil unions.
Press Release Coming Out Proud State Steering Committee 18/5/08
Federal Recognition of Same Sex Civil Unions – ‘No taxation without Recognition’
Julian Punch on behalf of the Coming Out Proud Program State Steering Committee called on Tasmanian Federal Politicians today to press for national recognition of same sex civil unions.
Given that the Rudd Government is now going to make $66 million when it introduces legislation to remove over 100 areas of legal and financial discrimination against gay and lesbian partnerships the only just law the Government can make is to recognise them with the same value of heterosexual civil unions, Mr Punch said.
What is supposed to be a long awaited removal of discrimination and injustice against same sex relationships seems to have turned into a cynical move to raise additional revenue from a section of the community that has been discriminated and vilified against for such a long time, Mr Punch stated. Raising revenue on the basis of ‘de facto’ same sex relationships is a cruel insult he added.
Mr Punch added that, ‘while same – sex couples have avoided much of the damaging impositions of Church and State control on their relationships in the past, the continuing non-recognition of community respect for our partnerships has very serious spiritual, moral and psychological effects on our community’. Gay and lesbian couples have to achieve a much greater degree of maturity, self-confidence and self-esteem to sustain their loving relationships. The Rudd Government in pandering to the fundamentalist right groups on this issue which will allow and actually encourage ongoing discrimination and vilification of this significant and important diverse section of the Australian Community – against international trends of recognition and civil union celebration.
Mr Punch added that, ‘many gay and lesbian couples were angry at the failure of the Australian Coalition for Equality lobbyists to negotiate equality of respect for their partnerships in the proposed federal same sex law reform changes. The community will now be anxiously awaiting the tax & pension implications and policing of double incomes. These negotiations seem to have been made without receiving any benefit of civil or community respect and acknowledgement for the loving same sex relationships that sustain people’s lives. This is clumsy bargaining at best and lacks the respect of having consulted us as to the bargaining terms and not negotiable outcomes Mr Punch said.
Mr Punch added that gay and lesbian couples are more than willing to contribute to the ‘social purse’ on equal terms, but not on the Federal basis of second-rate ‘de facto’ relationships. Mr Punch explained that the four regional COPP Community Liaison Committees would be calling on their local federal Labor Members and Senators to meet local lesbian and gay community members to explain their position on the non-recognition of same sex relationships.
